The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2, securing their spot in the World Series for the first time in 22 years. After trailing in the series, they staged a remarkable comeback, tying it up and sealing their victory at Citizens Bank Park. The Diamondbacks relied on their bullpen to shut down the Phillies' offense and capitalized on scoring opportunities.
Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, had a reading event cancelled by a Jewish organization in New York City, a day after he signed an open letter condemning Israel's actions in Gaza. The organization, 92nd Street Y, postponed the event without giving a reason or offering an alternative date. The organization cited Nguyen's stance on Israel and the recent attack by Hamas as reasons for the postponement. Nguyen's representatives have not commented on the cancellation.
An American kestrel at a Vermont museum has emerged as an artist after it lost its ability to fly, reports UPI. The Vermont Institute of Natural Science, informed that the bird named Ferrisburgh had been a flight ambassador at the museum until a broken bone led to his retirement, as per a UPI report.
A female NYPD officer and a man from Yonkers have been arrested for allegedly distributing drugs, including fentanyl and heroin. The officer, Grace Rose Baez, is accused of selling narcotics to an undercover federal informant while on active duty. She provided a sample of fentanyl and offered to sell one kilogram of heroin and 800 grams of fentanyl to the informant. The transactions took place while Baez was on desk duty at an NYPD facility. Baez and the man she was arrested with, Cesar Martinez, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics.
Lionel Messi is reportedly the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, earning an annualized compensation of over $20.4 million from his contract with Inter Miami. This makes his income higher than the entire payroll of most MLS teams. Messi's deal with Inter Miami includes a base salary of $12 million and a total guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667.
Rumors about a new Nintendo console, potentially called Switch 2, have been circulating. A recently published patent reveals some details about the device, which appears to be a handheld/home console hybrid with a new design. The patent shows a joystick, face buttons, shoulder buttons, and a relocated home button. The console may debut in the second half of 2024 and could use an LCD screen to reduce costs. It is unclear if the Switch 2 will be backward compatible with games from the original Switch. Nintendo aims to keep current Switch users interested during the transition to the new console.
Electronic Arts has released Season 6 of the Battlefield 2042 shooter game, called Dark Creations. To celebrate the release, the game was made free to play from October 12 to October 16, resulting in a surge in active players. Progress made during this time will carry over if players decide to purchase the game later. The latest season features a new map called Redacted, inspired by fan-favorite maps from previous Battlefield games.
US President Joe Biden has warned Israel that any move to occupy the Gaza Strip again would be a "big mistake". Israel has launched a bombing campaign against Hamas following an attack by the militant group. Biden stated that while it is necessary to "take out the extremists," occupying Gaza would be a mistake. He also called for the elimination of Hamas, but emphasized the need for a Palestinian authority and a path to a Palestinian state. Biden stated that US troops joining the war is not necessary and that Israel will be provided with everything they need.
Residents of Gwadar in Pakistan have declared a complete shutdown of the port city to protest against the ongoing drinking water crisis. The city, which is crucial to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been grappling with a water shortage for over a week. Despite the abundance of water resources in the area, the water supply to Gwadar has been suspended due to a dispute between the Gwadar Development Authority and Public Health Engineering officials. This situation highlights the need for effective governance and resolution mechanisms.
US Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have been hit with new charges, accusing them of being involved in a conspiracy to act as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government. Prosecutors claim that the couple accepted gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for using their influence to interfere with law enforcement probes and aid the Egyptian government. Menendez's trial on corruption charges is set to begin in May. The new indictment also alleges that Menendez's wife set up a company to receive bribe payments. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
US President Biden has pledged to increase military assistance to Israel following an attack by Hamas militants. However, concerns have been raised about whether this could impact aid to Ukraine, especially given the chaos and dysfunction in the US Congress. It is difficult to pass legislation for additional funding due to the lack of a permanent speaker in the House of Representatives and filibuster threats in the Senate.
Tensions between Israel and Palestinians continue to escalate after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in casualties on both sides. The US has deployed its aircraft carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean in support of Israel. Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel, prompting Israel to declare war and expand its military mobilization.
Residents in Florida woke up to hazy skies and unhealthy air quality caused by wildfire smoke originating from Canada. The smoke traveled an unconventional path due to high-pressure systems and north/northeasterly winds. Florida briefly had the worst air quality in the country. The impact of the wildfires extends beyond Florida and the US, and proactive measures are needed to manage the fires. The smoke was expected to linger until early Wednesday.
US President Joe Biden is expected to announce an additional $9 billion in student debt relief for 125,000 borrowers. This will bring the total amount of debt forgiven by the Biden administration to $127 billion, benefiting almost 3.6 million individuals. The relief measures include extra debt relief for borrowers in public service loan forgiveness programs, rectifying issues with income-driven repayment programs, and allocating funds for borrowers with disabilities. The Department of Education will also provide state-specific figures on debt relief through improvements in repayment programs.
